Tropical Quinoa Health Bars

How is it that this weekend seemed to fly by even quicker than the last?

I did get a bunch of stuff done yesterday, which is good, including a bit of our taxes.

I’m still regretting leaving it until the very last minute + not keeping things as organized as I should have.

Here’s to a more efficient system of filing our endless receipts, invoices, bills, and whatever else we need to keep for 2011.

I’ve promised myself this year will be different.

On with the eats…

Fruits are [generally] rich in vitamins and antioxidants and can be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle.

But did you know that the type of fruit makes a huge difference in its nutrient value and health benefits?

The first thing we should know is that man made or hybrid fruits will have higher sugar and lower nutrients. Take “seedless” fruits for example, [seedless grapes, watermelon, lemons, or melons]. Also, the higher in pesticides a product is, the more damaging it can be on our bodies. Check out what foods are at risk for highest pesticide content here.

When planning this recipe, I decided to incorporate some of the cleanest, and most health benefiting fruits to kick up the nutrients in these bars.

Rinse quinoa by placing it in a strainer and running it under water for 1 minute. Transfer for a medium sized saucepan, add water and cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-25 minutes. Don’t remove the lid while cooking. Once complete, remove lid and set aside.

Combine coconut milk, eggs, and chia in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper across both sides for easy lifting and set aside.

In a large bowl combine quinoa with the coconut milk mixture. Stir until fully combined.

Add remaining ingredients.

Press firmly into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly golden.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Slide out of pan and continue to cool for another 40 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Try to find unsweetened mango and papaya as the sweetened versions will add loads of unnecessary sugar to your bars.

These bars are great but can get a little bit messy. The longer they sit, the firmer they’ll get. Or, stick them in the fridge for a couple of hours.

This is one of the three recipes I have tried from your website for making things for others, and everyone I gave them to absolutely loved them! Family members and classmates alike. (I think these scored me some extra points with my teammates for a project at school, heh heh!)

The grocery store only had sweetened dried mango and papaya, so I scaled down the honey to about 3 Tbsp, and everyone still said they were sweet enough and delicious. :) Great recipe! They looked exactly like the picture and I was happy to find that they were easy to cut neatly into bars!

Thank you for sharing this recipe, these are just what I needed for a gluten, and dairy-free diet! I couldn’t find Chia seeds, but tried them with [3 Tbsp] flax seed meal instead. Where, pray tell, does one find Chia seeds?

Praise

After my gallbladder was removed, my depression and anxiety got worse. I searched on YouTube and I found an awesome girl who was kind, encouraging and smart. That is our Leanne Vogel. I listen to her podcast 24/7 and I have lost 25 pounds. Above all my anxiety and depression is 80% better. Today’s podcast about the gallbladder is so timely. Thank you, Leanne, for your kindness in sharing your journey with everyone.

I’m new to the keto diet and am so grateful I’ve found healthfulpursuit.com– down to earth, approachable, holistic, but most of all, speaking to women’s specific needs. I find the lack of shame and the use of real food to be refreshing. Thank you for being a rational, reasonable voice. It’s the honesty that caught my eye.

 Tia

WOW! That’s all I have to say. I came across your website a couple weeks ago and I can’t get enough. As a newly graduated Holistic Nutritionist, I am now questioning what I have learned in school and how I will be treating clients. You have definitely changed my way of thinking and I am on the path of recommending Keto-Healthful Pursuit style to my new clients. Thank you for being real, true to yourself and inspiring.

I’m loving The Keto Beginning Audiobook. I’m excited to order your upcoming book this spring! Thank you for your wealth of experience and positive attitude. I love your podcasts and articles.

 Tiffini

Deciding to go ketogenic was one of the best decisions I made. The keto lifestyle has not only helped me get closer to my goal weight, but it has given me an abundance of energy, has boosted my confidence, and has helped me overcome depression.

 Emily

Thank you for all of your positive videos and amazing knowledge. I used to eat fast food almost every day and I was 110kg (242 lbs), but I’m now down to a healthy 77kg (170 lbs). I started out eating paleo, but have recently changed to your keto eating plan and I am very excited!

 Sheldyn

Thank you for your podcast, videos and books, Leanne. I love that your podcast notes are so robust – I’m not frantically taking notes because know I can go back and look at your notes for references and links later. I feel that I am finding answers to my questions, and I see light at the end of the tunnel. I also appreciate your life experiences and personal lessons learned that you are sharing with us. I look forward to learning much more.

 Tonia

I’m a long-time fan of your work. I started keto about a year and a half ago, thanks to your awesome Fat-Fueled plan. I got both the Keto Beginning and Fat-Fueled since I had no idea how to even shift to a high-fat diet. I have a variety of health issues (Lyme’s disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and all the accompanying fun things that those entail, the list is long so I won’t bore you) and shifting to high fat brought a lot of relief to the GI issues I was experiencing as well as helping me mentally. I too wrestled with anorexia for many years and so really, really appreciate how you approach the mental aspect of the relationship with food, body image, and health.

 Kelsey

I have had issues with my menstrual cycle and being on oral contraceptives. I saw my physician and she is supportive of my whole food keto lifestyle and is supportive of me going off hormones for birth control. I want to thank you for being so open about your experiences and inspiring me to find my path. I think I’m on the right path now to find what works to be my best self.

 Amanda

I am a 70-year-old woman who has tried to eat well for years, but nothing I was doing was changing my bad report at my wellness exams. I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, was pre-diabetic, overweight etc. I have fibromyalgia, osteopenia, hypoglycemia, and hypothyroidism. My doctor wanted to put me on statins for my cholesterol for months & I finally agreed to take the lowest dosage he could give me. I took two pills and just couldn’t continue because I hate drugs. I was determined to change things myself with food. So I purchased The Keto Diet book, listened to The Keto Diet Podcast as well as practiced intermittent fasting, and at my very next wellness exam, I received a glowing report! He said I should be a poster child for the elderly. No need for statins, no more pre-diabetic, blood pressure was perfect. The best part of my visit was telling him I didn’t take the drugs. He was so surprised and wanted to know what I did. Leanne is just a love and her book is so informative and written so well that even an old lady like me can understand.

 Candi

I just wanted to thank you for all the important information and inspiration you share with the world! I love your podcast and of course the keto diet book! You make such a difference sharing your story! In my own life, I have utilized keto to take control of my eating habits. Your bravery and honesty in sharing your story has helped me feel supported! Just wanted to let you know the positivity your work has created! Thanks again!

 Shelby

Leanne, I just wanted to thank you for being such a positive influence. I have been loving keto for the past year and a half, but just figured out quite recently that what matters most is that I haven’t been loving myself. I need to get to a place where my worth is not based on a number or what I did or didn’t eat in a day. YOU are helping me with that! I’m learning about myself, what works for me and learning to love myself in the process.

 Amy

The Keto Diet changed 15 years of misery in 3 months! I’ve suffered from schizophrenia for 18 years now, but when I found something that helped, it made me gain 40 kilos in 2 months. I tried every diet available, but then my doctor sent me an email about how low-carb diets could help reduce my hunger with this medication. I found your website and started the next day! After doing the Keto diet for 3 months, I feel great, am not tired and even able to cut down on the medication I’ve taken for 9 years. I cannot express how grateful I am for finding your website!

 Sophie

I’m about to start keto and your sites have been very helpful in my research! I enjoy the videos and the podcasts. I like that you explain the pros and cons of everything and that you choose carefully which products to share and tell us how helpful they were to you. Basically, I appreciate how thorough you are! Thank you!

 Katie

Leanne was one of the first videos I ever watched when I decided I was going to go head first into keto. I remember being so impressed with your “What 6 Months Eating Keto Did to My Body” video, and you were doing it way before keto was as trendy as it is nowadays. My journey started over 2 years ago at over 515 pounds and since then I’ve lost 240 pounds and still going strong. Whenever there seem to be gaps in my knowledge I know I can always look to your videos for help. Keep up the awesome work. It means a lot to all of us.

Third party links are often affiliate-based which means I receive a small percentage of the sale (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for all of your support!

Leanne Vogel has experienced success in using her recipes and keto-based diet. It works with her lifestyle but there are no assurances or representations of any kind made by Leanne Vogel or Healthful Pursuit Inc. that you will attain any success in using the same recipes or adopting a keto-based diet. Healthful Pursuit provides information in respect to healthy living, recipes, nutrition, and diet and is intended for informational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment nor is it to be construed as such. We cannot guarantee that the information provided by Healthful Pursuit reflects the most up-to-date medical research. Information is provided without any representations or warranties of any kind. Please consult a qualified physician for medical advice, and always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health and nutrition program.